Lily Wolfe and Her Many Adventures
by amyownfie
Summary: Petunia and Vernon Dursley had a secret. A dark secret that Minerva McGonagall would have discovered if she had begun watching number 4 privet drive only two weeks earlier. The happy, very muggle couple, had a second child, or rather a first, a girl, born two years before their son.
1. Chapter 1

AN. So I've started another story... I have been working on it for months now and am finally at the point where I can begin posting it. It was originally meant to fit perfectly into the cannon storyline but I decided not to because I was stressing myself out. So it's now this, and I quite like it. And I hope you do too

CHAPTER 1

Petunia and Vernon Dursley had a secret. A dark secret that Minerva McGonagall would have discovered if she had begun watching number 4 privet drive only two weeks earlier. The happy, very muggle couple, had a second child, or rather a first, a girl, born two years before their son.

The first thing that went wrong for their child was the stunning thick red hair that she had. She looked just like her aunt, and Petunia was not happy about that. The second, was that from her very first birthday, she was making strange things happen around her. Vernon's moustache would change colour, or Petunia's hard made cakes would float into the air whenever their daughter wanted to help. They swore they would make her normal, work through the problem until it went away, but it didn't. The third problem, was when Dudley was born, and she levitated his toys around the room while she was playing with him one afternoon, grinning while she did so. That had been the final straw for Vernon and he immediately packed a small spotted blue rucksack and pushed his daughter out of the door, giving her the directions to the nearby orphanage.

When Harry Potter had been found on their doorstep, they thought it to be as punishment for sending their daughter away. They also believed that something terrible would happen to them if they sent away the small child. They didn't like magic, but they certainly feared it.

For their daughter, things did not get better. She couldn't read, being three years old and so never found the orphanage. She did stumble across many well meaning families over the years, some would feed her or let her sleep at their house for a night, but all of them would talk about taking her to the orphanage, and so she would move on to the next street and the next family that intended to send her away.

Her accidental magic didn't go away, in fact she found herself able to perform more controlled magic, but only barely. She assumed she was around six, having never actually known what day it was, when she first managed to levitate anything towards herself. It had been when she saw a woman having a picnic with her family that she spotted the box of sandwiches that was tucked into a basket that sat behind the group. She hadn't eaten anything that day so when she saw them her hunger was what activated her magic. The box of sandwiches flew straight toward her and she hugged it to her chest the second it was close enough to reach. She immediately ran to her usual hiding place in the park and climbed up her tree to the small perch she had made for herself. She lived off of the sandwiches for almost a week, but after that, she discovered a better way of getting food. She saw a small dog walking through the streets, being offered food as he went, so she had an idea. If she could be a dog, she could be fed too and she wouldn't be sent to the orphanage. She didn't know how she did it, but she managed to become a small wolf, though she just looked like a husky, or at least a husky's puppy.

She even learnt how to change back and began looking through the streets for a library, which of course she was rarely welcome in because she couldn't wash very often. It was after years and years of living that way that she spotted two familiar faces, a thick bushy moustache and a long neck, that she had hope. Maybe these were her parents, maybe they remembered her. She followed them, as a wolf of course, until she found herself followed by a large black dog, or rather he was following them too.

"What are you doing little pup?" The big dog asked. This was the first time another dog had tried to talk to her and she wasn't sure how to talk back. "Are you even a pup?" He asked. "You look a little too big. How old are you?"

"I'm not sure." She spoke back, moving closer to the big dog. "Are you like me? Can you be a person too?" She wasn't sure how to gauge how the dog reacted, but he might have been surprised.

"Are you a wolf or a person, little pup?" The dog asked.

"A person." She replied, and she soon saw a frail man in the place of the dog.

"How old are you? Where are your parents?" He asked. He looked bone thin and his skin was shallow.

She barked back before realising that he couldn't understand her. She became human again and it must have shocked him, because his eyes were wide and his mouth hung open. She didn't know what she looked like, she didn't even know how old she was so she didn't know why his man was so shocked.

"How haven't the ministry picked you up yet?" The man asked himself, or she thought so because she didn't know what this ministry was. "Where are your parents?" He asked again. She wanted to ask him the same question, even if he was an adult.

"I've been following them. You have too. They made me leave." She shrugged. "I don't really remember them but I remember them making me leave, I think they wanted me to go to an orphanage, but I can't really read so I'm not sure." She didn't know why she was telling this stranger everything, maybe it was because to her mind he was a pack animal, and she wanted to join his pack. It was peculiar what being an animal did to your mind. Especially when you spend days at a time as a wolf.

"I don't remember when it happened." She continued, trying to remember as much as possible. "I think I have a little brother, he's a baby. I might have been three or four when my parents turned me away. They didn't like the things I could do. I didn't even know I was doing them."

"Magic." The man supplied. "It's called magic, and you seem to have been mastering it fairly well on your own. There's a school that I'll be going to fairly soon, I can take you with me. If you'd like."

"Why are you going to a school?" She asked, her curiosity peaking.

"I'm looking for an old friend." He answered. "Maybe I'll tell you about it on the way."

"Where's this school?" She asked. "And why do you have to go to that one? Couldn't you just write him a letter?"

"No. He's hiding as an animal, like I am." The man spoke. "But he framed me for betraying my friends, for killing innocent muggles and for killing him."

After thinking for a few moments, she took one whist full look at privet drive, only to see a boy leaving the house pulling a large trunk behind him. She turned back to the man who had also seen the boy and changed back into a dog. She quickly did the same.

"What's he doing?" The black dog growled. "He's not protected on his own." He began pacing forward trying to scan the area for anyone who might harm the boy. The boy raised his arm, pointing what looked like a wooden stick at the dog. He fell back and a big purple bus materialised in front of him.

"Come little pup, we should leave now." The black dog suggested, nudging me away. We ran for a while, until we were far away from Surrey, or at least further than she'd gone before.

"What do I call you?" She asked after a few hours. They had been moving in silence and she was getting rather tired. "Most people call me mutt or boy or…" She didn't really have a name, or at least not one that she remembered.

"You can call me Padfoot if you'd like. That's my name as a dog at least." Padfoot shrugged, slowing his pace to match hers. "My human name is, well… It might be better for you if you don't know my name. That way only the people that know me, or rather trust me, will be able to help you."

She nodded as she tried to keep her breathing steady. She wasn't used to running long distances, especially not on four legs.

"What's your name little pup?" Padfoot asked. "The name your parents gave you."

"I don't remember." She shrugged, looking out over the landscape. "I don't really remember much about anything."

"Stick with me little pup." Padfoot grinned, or as well as a dog can grin, and led her to a slightly hollowed out tree, curling around her small frame to keep her warm. She may have been a wolf with enough fur to fight off a chill, but he wasn't going to take that chance. She was only a child after all.

"I know your family, or at least some of them." Padfoot spoke, remembering many of the stories Lily used to tell. "I knew your aunt, your mother's sister. We met at the school I'm taking you to. I knew her husband first, he was my best friend for years. The boy we saw earlier is their son, he's been living with your parents since my friends died. They don't approve of magic, your parents, but something must have scared them for Harry to still be living there."

"What were their names?" She asked, trying to keep her eyes open. She was far too warm and she had been running for far too long.

"Lily and James Potter." Padfoot frowned.

"Maybe that can be my name." She spoke, her eyes falling shut. "Lily."

Padfoot curled tighter around her, placing his head over hers protectively. "I think you'd suit the name. But I might still call you little pup."

And so they slept, curled up inside of a hollow tree. It rained that night, and they were lucky to have found somewhere to sleep, because they were dry and warm. For the first time in years, both Padfoot and Lily had a good night's sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Lily woke when a sudden chill washed over her. She opened her eyes and saw that she was still a wolf, but Padfoot was nowhere to be seen. Only moments later, he was suddenly at her side, a half eaten bone of meat in his mouth. He laid it down between them and they began to gnaw at the bone, the small layer of meat filling Lily's stomach fairly quickly.

"How long do you think it will take for us to get to your school?" Lily asked, stretching her legs and running in a few circles. She felt a huge rush of energy surge through her tiny frame and felt an uncontrollable need to let it out.

"A long time. It's very far away." Padfoot shrugged, continuing to bite at the bone. "But it shouldn't take too long, we can run a lot longer and faster than humans can."

"When can we start?" Lily yelped, running in even wilder circles.

Padfoot growled slightly and stood. "I guess we can leave now." He managed to grab Lily's attention before beginning to run off into the distance.

The next days passed rather quickly, with Lily and Padfoot simply running. The weather got colder and the sun went down sooner and sooner in the day; Padfoot would tell Lily that they were getting closer, but they would get closer if they moved a step every day, it would just take longer. But the days passed quickly enough and they reached a large lake in a valley, where a castle stood proud and tall.

"Is that the school?" Lily asked, jumping up and down, spinning in a wide circle. "Can we see your friend?"

Padfoot shook his head, though it looked strange as a dog. "He used to be my friend. But he betrayed my friends, he helped kill them and a lot of other people."

"He could still be your friend." Lily proclaimed, stopping still in front of Padfoot. "I'm sure that when people do bad things they start to feel bad about it. Maybe your friend feels bad."

"I hope he does." Padfoot agreed. "But it won't change what I think about him."

Lily shrugged and skipped forward toward the castle, a skip in her step. "I would love to have a friend." She sighed. "Maybe your friend wants to be yours again."

"I doubt it." Padfoot sighed, following Lily across the grass and up to the castle. "I can't stay near the castle for long, but I'll show you how to get to someone I trust before I go and see my friend."

"Okay." Lily smiled, rushing up the hill and across the bridge, Padfoot close behind her.

She sped through the castle and followed Padfoot around the halls, avoiding some of the students who were walking the halls. They eventually reached a door that gladly swung open when he whispered to it, though Lily didn't know what he said.

A woman sat at a desk, with a long green cloak around her shoulders. She looked harsh, but Padfoot had said that he trusted her and Lily decided that she would too. Maybe she would even make a friend.

"Become a human little pup, talk to my friend." Padfoot nudged her, before disappearing into the shadows.

Lily didn't know what to do, having spent weeks following her new companion, but now he was gone and she didn't know what to do. But she listened to what he said and entered the room, jumping onto the woman's desk.

"Goodness." She exclaimed. "I suppose someone has lost their familiar." She sighed, reaching toward the dog.

Lily quickly jumped down from the desk and turned into a human, shocking the woman even more. "He told me to trust you." She spoke, a naive smile on her face. "I don't know why he brought me with him but he said that I would learn things."

"You look just like…" She muttered, quickly cutting off her sentence. "I must take you to the headmaster at once." She spoke, flicking a stick at a small origami animal, turning it into another cloak. "Please put this on dear, you look rather cold."

Lily grinned and wrapped the fabric around her, having felt chilly in her human form. "Are you my friend?" Lily grinned, skipping along behind the woman. "I've always wanted a friend."

The woman stopped in her tracks, turning back to Lily with a soft look in her eyes. "I suppose you could use a friend." She spoke quietly, continuing to walk down the corridors.

"I'm little pup." Lily grinned. "He said I could be called Lily too, but he called me little pup."

"Who was your friend?" The woman asked.

"I don't know." Lily shrugged, a smile still spread across her face. "He said that his friend had killed lots of people and framed him for it. He said it wasn't safe to know his name."

The woman nodded, a worried look spreading across her face. She didn't say anything else until they reached a statue, and even then she said the strangest thing. "Pepper imps." She had proclaimed to the statue, which started moving and becoming a staircase. It was long and winding and a big wooden door sat at the top.

Behind the door was a man with a long white beard. He had lots of objects that were spinning and glowing or simply sitting on a bookshelf. His eyes twinkled and he smiled, though he stayed sat behind a big desk.

"And who are you my dear?" He asked, his voice quiet and soft.

"Little pup." Lily exclaimed, before frowning slightly. "That's my wolf name. My human name is Lily, that's the name he gave me." Lily skipped forward so that she could hear the man better, though her hearing was far better than it was before she learnt how to turn into a wolf.

"A lovely name." He smiled standing from his chair. "How can I help you?"

"I don't know." Lily smiled up at the man as he moved to crouch down in front of her. "You could be my friend. The scary woman is my friend too." She smiled slightly to herself. "She's my only friend."

The man smiled warmly to her. "I'd love to be your friend he smiled. My name is Albus Dumbledore. I'm the headmaster here at Hogwarts."

"What's Hogwarts?" Lily asked, tilting her head to the side.

The headmaster chuckled at the rather dog like action. "That's the name of this school. We teach young people how to do magic."

"I can do things." Lily exclaimed, turning into a wolf. She allowed Dumbledore to stroke her head a little before becoming human again. "I can make things fly too, but that's much harder."

"You're a remarkable witch." Dumbledore smiled, standing up. "Come and sit down. Professor McGonagall should stay with us."

The woman walked forward and took a seat, indicating for Lily to do the same.

"I think that you should join us here at the school." Dumbledore spoke, sitting down in his chair. "You seem to have very strong magic, and you need to learn how to control it."

"Do you know my parents?" Lily suddenly asked. "My father had a big moustache and my mother had a very long neck. I have a brother too, he was a baby."

Professor McGonagall went pale and a frown settled on Dumbledore's face.

"It seems that we don't know everything about the Dursley family." McGonagall frowned, looking pointedly at Dumbledore.

"Indeed we do not." Dumbledore smiled. "What can you tell us about your family? Why aren't you with them?"

Lily frowned. Pulling a piece of paper from the spotted blue backpack that she still carried. "They wanted me to go to an orphanage, they gave me directions. I would make things happen. Things that I didn't know I could do." Lily gave the paper to Professor McGonagall, a frown on her face. "They didn't want me anymore, and I don't want to go to them. The had another boy with them and they were horrid to him. He ran away on a big purple bus."

Dumbledore frowned. "I think we have a lot to talk about Miss Dursley."

"That's not my name." Lily frowned stubbornly. "My name is little pup and my name is Lily."

"Wouldn't you want to be with your family again?" Dumbledore asked.

"No." Lily frowned, remembering what Padfoot had said. "People can do a bad thing and feel bad about it, but that doesn't mean that you have to forgive them."

"You are a lot older than you seem." Dumbledore nodded.

"I'll take her in as my ward." McGonagall announced. "I told you that family was horrid and I will not let another child be abused by them."

Lily smiled at her new friend, a wealth of optimism washing into her. "Can you teach me how to read things?" She asked the woman.

"Of course." McGonagall smiled.

"I suppose that the professors could teach you independently until you are caught up." Dumbledore nodded to himself. "Would you mind if Lily stayed in your quarters?" He asked McGonagall. "I think it would be better than placing her with the other students for now."

She nodded, turning her gaze back to Lily. "I'll teach her everything I know." McGonagall smiled.

Dumbledore nodded. "I think we need to give you a name." He smiled, turning his focus to Lily. "I don't think we should let the other students know that you are an animagus. Little pup might give that away, being that you can become a dog."

"Wolf." Lily announced. "I'm a wolf."

"Welcome to Hogwarts Miss Wolfe." Dumbledore smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

The days that followed her meeting with Professor Dumbledore had passed quickly, and Lily's skills were becoming far more numerous and far more impressive. She had learnt many of the first year spells as her second week in Hogwarts came to a close. She had also learnt how to read and write exceptionally well, though her handwriting was the only thing that could use a lot of work. The Professors could do nothing but fall in love with her, gladly agreeing to call her a friend. Professor Snape had been a hard man to win over but he too crumbled and would be seen smiling as he taught Lily. He wasn't teaching her potions however, he was teaching her how to do things like maths, which he said he learnt in a muggle school. He also taught her lots of big words and useful spells, including a spell that he had created to make things quieter, as she had been struggling to adjust to the wealth of people around her. A school wasn't the same as a street.

It was on her third week of learning that she met some of the other students, though she realised that she wasn't supposed to meet people yet. She had been doing maths once again with Professor Snape when some students entered the room, suddenly hesitant when they saw the girl sat at a desk with their Potions Professor. Among the group was the boy she had seen the day she met Padfoot.

Lily's eyes lit up when she saw him, excited to meet someone in her family.

"We will finish this tomorrow." Snape nodded to Lily, turning to address the class. "Miss Wolfe is Professor McGonagall's ward and has recently joined us to begin her schooling." Professor Snape informed the class.

"Potter, Granger and Weasley will escort her back to Professor McGonagall's classroom." He announced, clearly wanting the three out of his classroom.

The girl Professor Snape had called was the first to react and quickly helped Lily pack her books into her backpack, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders. The boys quickly followed them as they left the classroom.

"I'm Hermione." The girl smiled to Lily, noting how she hadn't been phased by Professor Snape in any way, even the Slytherins would be hesitant to approach the man.

"I'm Lily." She smiled, turning to look at the messy haired boy. "Why haven't my parents sent you away?" She asked him, not even bothering to ask his name. "They sent me away because I could do things. Why haven't they done the same with you?"

The boy stopped in his tracks, staring at the girl stood with Hermione. She only looked about eleven, and yet she spoke as if she were older than him. She must have been, because he would've remembered the Dursleys having a second child.

"Harry?" A ginger boy spoke, raising his eyebrows.

"Albus said that I haven't grown properly." Lily spoke. "He said that I shouldn't tell lots of people but it's because I can become a wolf."

"You look like my mother." Harry spoke, his eyes softening.

"That's what my friend said." Lily smiled. "He's teaching me spells." She grinned, beginning to skip along the corridor.

The trio quickly joined her and sped along the corridors, avoiding the strange looks from the older students.

"But Snape said that your name was Wolfe, not Dursley." Harry spoke, catching up with Lily.

"I chose my name." Lily spoke, slowing her pace. "They sent me away with a list of directions. Directions that I couldn't read because I hadn't learnt how to read. They packed a bag for me and sent me away." A frown settled on Lily's face. "I haven't forgiven them and I'm not going back to them."

Harry frowned. "Why won't you go back? Why aren't they making you?"

Lily turned to Harry, noting the envy in his eyes. "Because you're protected there." Lily answered him, though she answered the question he was thinking. "You're safe in the muggle world."

Harry nodded, frowning slightly.

"Besides, Minerva was really angry that you were living with the muggles, I wouldn't be surprised if she hadn't tried to get you out." Lily comforted him, smiling at her cousin. "My name's Lily. Or at least it's the name I was given a few weeks ago." She shrugged. "He named me after your mother."

"Who did?" Harry asked, desperate to know who else had been friends with his parents.

"I don't know what his name is." Lily shrugged. "But he came looking for someone who betrayed his friends, someone who had killed lots of people."

"He's after Sirius Black." The ginger boy announced. "Black broke into the castle, that's why her friend came, so that he could catch him."

"Maybe." Lily shrugged, turning her attention to the ginger boy. "Who are you?" She asked, not realising how bluntly she spoke.

"Ron." He grumbled. "You're not good at talking to people are you?" He spoke.

"I haven't really spoken to people, ever." Lily spoke. "This is all very new to me."

"I think you're learning wonderfully." Hermione smiled, quickly glaring at Ron.

"Do you know about muggle schools too?" Lily asked. "My writing still isn't very good."

"We'd love to help you." Hermione announced, raising an eyebrow at Harry and Ron, as if she were daring them to protest.

"Really?" Lily's eyes lit up.

"Of course." Harry smiled. "I think I'd like to have family to help me, so why shouldn't I do the same." He announced, ignoring Ron's groan.

"Let's get you back to Professor McGonagall." Hermione spoke, suddenly remembering their task. "I'm sure she is expecting you."

"That I am." Professor McGonagall spoke, appearing suddenly behind the four. "I'd thought Professor Snape had forgotten to bring you up to my classroom."

"He had Professor." Hermione spoke. "He asked us to bring her up."

Professor McGonagall nodded. "I suppose you would like to see our little pup some more." She smiled knowingly, placing a hand on Lily's shoulder.

Harry shrugged. "She's family." He stated, smiling at Lily.

"They're going to help me with my writing." Lily informed the Professor, an excited grin on her face.

McGonagall sighed. "I'm sure that will be lovely."

"We should be heading back to Potions." Hermione informed the two boys, smiling at Ron's sudden slump.

"That you should." Professor McGonagall spoke. "And we have some transfiguration to learn." She smiled, startling the trio with the mass of warmth that she regarded Lily with.

Lily skipped away excitedly, waving back at the trio as she went. "Did I make more friends today?" She asked her guardian, grinning as she went.

"I think you made more than just friends." The professor smiled, escorting her back to the classroom.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

Word had spread quickly that Professor McGonagall had taken in a little girl, and rumours of Snape's sudden change in personality when he taught her was whispered about, though no one dared speak a word of it in front of him. Lily had begun eating in the great hall, sitting next to Professor McGonagall at the Teachers' table. She had also been spotted in the library, though she was usually reading quietly with Madam Pince, who was helping her with some of the larger and more complex words. It was suddenly made aware to the students that this girl had changed their teachers, though they wouldn't complain at the sudden decline in detentions.

Lily had progressed much faster than the professors had expected, so when the Hogsmeade trip approached McGonagall had promised to take Lily into the village, though she had suspected that she would see a small wolf around the village had she not offered to take her.

Lily had spoken to Hermione about the trip and confessed that she didn't have a scarf or hat to wear in the village. Professor McGonagall was going to let her borrow some but she had wanted some of her own to wear. Hermione had appeared at their next lesson with a scarf and hat for her, an older scarf and hat that Hermione's parents had sent. She charmed them so they were in less disrepair and so that they would keep her even warmer. Lily's eyes had grown wide when she saw the offering, and she had almost crushed Hermione in a hug, though the frizzy haired girl didn't mind.

Even Professor Snape hadn't avoided her enthusiasm as the ceiling began to snow as he began to instruct her in potions. It was needless to say that the potion they were working on didn't respond well to the sudden cold. Though it didn't explode. It simply fizzled into nothing.

When the day of the trip finally came, Lily was bursting with excitement. It had been a long time since she had spent the winter as a human, having found it too cold without the thick layer of fur. She had woken to a cold chill and had used one of the spells she had read about to make her clothes warm. Hermione had shown it to her.

Professor McGonagall had become more than a teacher for Lily, having become a mother figure that the young girl wished she always had. But the Professor had managed to convince Dumbledore to let her take Lily down to the village. She would still be chaperoning, though she suspected his approval came from the fact that the students were less likely to act out with a teacher walking among them.

Breakfast in the great hall had been abuzz with talk about Hogsmeade village, though most weren't as excited for the thought of walking in a street as Lily was.

"It's the simple things." Lily had smiled when she was asked about her excitement for something so mundane.

The walk down to the village had resulted in many squeals of delight from Lily and many calm reprimands from McGonagall. More than once had she tried to run off, and more than once he McGonagall been forced to stop her. But Professor McGonagall hadn't seen the shaggy black dog off in the tree line following them. Lily had. But when the Professor had been distracted by a woman called Rosmerta, Lily took her opportunity to sneak away. She easily followed the black dog to the outskirts of the village and further, reaching a small cave that contained several old newspapers and old bones.

"Where did you go?" Lily asked Padfoot. "I know you're after Sirius Black. He's the friend that betrayed you."

"Sirius Black would never betray James Potter." Padfoot barked, a growl in his chest. "Peter was the secret keeper and Peter told Voldemort where they were hiding. I was the decoy. I let them think it was me because it was obvious. I was the best friend. I was the one they would think of."

"What happened?" Lily whined.

"I went after Peter and he killed the muggles to get away." Padfoot informed her. "Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban and Pettigrew got away. He was the traitor."

"Did you ever tell anyone?" Lily asked. "You're innocent. They can't overlook your side of the story."

"They did." Padfoot growled. "They left me to rot without a trial."

"Your friend, Peter, he's in the castle isn't he." Lily continued, having worked out enough of the story on her own. "Where is he?"

"With my godson's best friend, the filthy rat." Padfoot spat.

Lily was shocked. She had seen Ron with carrying a small rat. A rat with a missing toe.

"How can we prove you're innocent?" Lily asked. "There has to be a way."

"My memory of that night." Padfoot told her. "The night we changed the secret keeper and the night I confronted him." He sprinted out of the cave and into the forest where he could become human again. "I'll need your wand for a moment. Just to get the memories and something to put them in."

Lily didn't question the request and handed over her wand, watching as he took two rocks and turned them into elegant crystal vials with a simple flick of the wrist. It was what he did next that astonished her. He placed the tip of her want to his temple and extracted a glittering silver strand and placed it in one of the vials before repeating the process. To her surprise, he thrust the wand and vials into her hands as soon as he was done, turning back into a dog.

Lily pocketed the items and did the same, chasing after Padfoot.

"Find Dumbledore, tell him my story." Padfoot ordered. "The ministry will send someone here soon so make sure to cast another spell before they do."

Lily simply nodded, not bothering to question why he was giving such strange commands. She quickly found her way back to a very worried Professor McGonagall who spent several minutes emphasising the dangers of running off on her own, especially when there was a murderer on the loose.

"But he's innocent." Lily proclaimed, silencing the older woman. "Peter was the traitor."

Professor McGonagall's face drained of all colour, prompting another lecture about the dangers of speaking with strangers. Especially ones that are accused of murder. Professor McGonagall appeared to dislike that part of her tale.

Lily was ferried up to Professor Dumbledore's office, where she told her tale of the man she had met when following her parents and everything afterwards, though she didn't recount the parts that they were present for.

"He gave me these." Lily spoke, handing Professor Dumbledore the vials. "He said that they would prove he was innocent."

Dumbledore's interest peaked, pouring the vials into a shallow filter bowl and sinking his face into the watery contents. Lily found it odd that he would do such a strange thing, but she didn't question it, he was a very clever man after all.

When his face finally emerged, he looked somber, as if he had seen a ghost. A ghost that had reached its hand into his chest and clutched his heart.

"They made a mistake Minerva." Dumbledore spoke, extracting the silvery liquids from the bowl and placing them back into the vials. "They made a bet big mistake."


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Lily had been sat with Remus for hours, swinging her legs back and forth as she stared at the floor. There was only so many hours of practising wand movement that a child could take, and 2 exceeded that number. Remus had been reading through a plethora of books, suggesting spells and magical creatures that Lily might enjoy looking at. Instead she turned down all of his offers and continued staring at the stones, wondering how many people's feet had stepped on them, and how many of them had been as bored as she was. She suspected that the number was very high.

Her mind wandered to Dumbledore's office what Dumbledore and McGonagall were taking so long to talk about. They knew Padfoot was innocent. They had proof. But were the other people who had arrived in Dumbledore's office less trusting? Maybe they thought she was lying. She was a child after all.

"I have an idea." Remus announced, closing his book with a sharp snap. "I've been teaching Harry a rather interesting spell. I think you'd like it."

"I don't want to spend any more hours moving my wand in circles." Lily grumbled, her shoulders sagging.

"This isn't one of those spells." Remus smiled, moving in front of Lily. "It's about making a happy memory into a shield, one that can help you fight away those flying creatures outside."

"They make me remember that day, when I was sent away." Lily frowned, her voice quiet and timid.

Remus crouched in front of Lily, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Would you like to learn it?" He asked, a soft look in his eyes.

Lily smiled sadly at the professor, nodding her head. She had a slightly hollow look that didn't belong on such a young face.

Remus smiled encouragingly, standing up and waving his wand, making all of the tables slide to the walls. "This spell is called a patronus, and it can help you keep the dementors away."

Lily jumped up from her chair, her wand in her hand. She rarely used it once she learned a spell, she didn't see the need of using a stick to do magic.

"First you need to think of a happy memory, and let the warmth of that memory tingle through your entire body." Remus spoke, trying his best to simplify his explanation. "And then you point your want and say 'expecto patronum'. Let's hear you practise the words first."

"Expecto patronum." Lily spoke hesitantly. Making sure that she was saying it right, repeating the incantation several times before Remus told her she had it right.

"Now, think of the happiest memory you have." He instructed.

Lily frowned slightly, trying to draw upon her happiest memory, though she was well aware that she had few strong ones. She first thought of her professors, the smiles on their faces when she did things correctly, but quickly dismissed them. She remembered her talks with Harry, the times that Hermione had spent teaching her and the scarf that she had been given by the young witch.

But Lily's mind kept returning to her evenings sat with Minerva in her private library, sat reading the tales of beedle the bard to her in front of the fire. They would sit underneath a blanket, Minerva's arm around her shoulder, Lily leaning into the older woman as she slowly drifted off to sleep. These times were the moments where Lily felt safe and warm, where she felt like she had the home, the family, she had longed for.

Lily focused on those memories, feeling that familiar warmth wash over her. She didn't need prompting. Lily raised her wand and uttered the incantation, opening her eyes to see a white wolf darting around the room and Remus stunned to silence.

A smile spread across Lily's lips. She knew she had done the spell right, though it wasn't hard to say the words or hold her wand. It wasn't hard to focus on her memories. It was the easiest piece of magic she had ever performed because she didn't need to think too much about how she was doing it, she just had to be happy, something that she was proud to say she was good at doing.

"I need to stop underestimating you." Remus spoke, a fond smile on his face.

Lily smiled at the man, a knowing look in her eyes. "That wasn't to show me the spell." She stated. "You wanted to cheer me up by making me think of a happy memory." The silver wolf returned to her side before fading out of sight, the silver wisps from her wand fizzling out of life.

Remus shrugged, a large grin on his face. "It worked."


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

When Lily was finally allowed back up to Dumbledore's office, she was met by two officious looking men, both who had rather serious expressions on their face. They believed themselves to be important, that much was obvious.

The more self-important looking of the men stepped forward, extending a hand to Lily. "I'm Minister Fudge." He introduced himself.

Lily stared at the man's hand, her head tilting to the side. She didn't understand why he was holding his hand in front of her, nor why he wasn't explaining why.

He retracted his hand after a glance at Dumbledore, coughing slightly before continuing. "I understand that you had a hand in bringing these memories to Dumbledore." He spoke. Lily couldn't help but notice the way he was speaking. He was used to getting what he wanted, though he would never ask for something directly, and he clearly thought that she should offer up information without question or thought, though she supposed that it came with his job.

Lily remembered the story Dumbledore had told her to repeat when people asked, the older man not wanting anyone to know about her rather unique talents just yet. "I was approached by a man that I don't recognise. He asked me to deliver the vials to Dumbledore. He didn't look like the man in the photos, the ones of Sirius Black." She repeated, trying her best to make it sound believable, though she had gotten rather good at convincing people of lies while she roamed the streets. It didn't take much effort from her part to have the strange men to eat from her hands. "He handed me a coin and walked away. It sounded important so I came to professor Dumbledore as quickly as I could."

The minister nodded, the man behind him clearly agreeing that her story was true.

"I don't know what was in them." Lily continued, quickly covering for her sip. She wasn't supposed to know about Padfoot's involvement, not in their fake story at least. "But Professor Dumbledore asked me if he was the man from the newspaper. What was in them?" She asked, keeping her inquisitive young girl act as intact as she could.

"Memories." Fudge responded, apparently not trusting her with any further information. "I have a question for you." He smiled. "Are Professor McGonagall's claims about your skill to be believed?" He questioned, a gleeful smile spreading across his face.

Lily shrugged, turning to her Professors for advice. Remus, who had accompanied her, stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, flashing her an encouraging smile.

"She just mastered the patronus charm." He smiled, the minister's excitement at the information not lost on the faculty.

"I'm sure you'll be a fine witch some day." The minister spoke, turning his attention to the headmaster. He quickly excused himself and left the office, throwing powder into the fire and stepping through, the silent man doing the same.

"You did very well Lily." Dumbledore smiled, moving behind his desk. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a small package wrapped in parchment with a piece of twine wrapped around it. "I did some digging and found out that it is your birthday today." He smiled, approaching Lily and kneeling down in front of her.

"I have a birthday?" Lily asked in shock, glancing at Professor McGonagall who simply smiled warmly at her.

"The twelfth of november." Dumbledore nodded, handing her the small package. "I struggled to think of an appropriate gift for you, and instead fell back on an old belief of mine. That life is better when you are given something from someone who loves you." He grinned. It had been clear that Lily had captured the hearts of her professors, but she had no idea the extent of their care for her.

Lily accepted the package with a shy smile, wrapping her arms around Dumbledore. "I like parchment and string." She smiled, hugging it tight to her chest.

Minerva and Remus both laughed, the older witch coming to place a hand on Lily's shoulder. "You open the parchment. His gift is inside." She spoke, her voice full of warmth.

Lily smiled, untying the string with care and carefully pulling the paper from the gift. A large grin spread across her face as she looked down at Dumbledore's gift. It was a beautiful small book and a pair of blue woolen socks. She wrapped her arms around the headmaster once again, whispering a thank you in his ear.

"I also believe that nobody can have too many socks." Dumbledore smiled, wrapping his arms around Lily.

"Come on dear, dinner starts in a few minutes." McGonagall encouraged, receiving a hug from Lily also. She was startled by the sudden hug, but quickly returned it.

"You might not have been my family before." Lily whispered, clinging to the older woman. "But you're my family now."

A large smile spread across McGonagall's face and she pressed a kiss into Lily's hair, continuing to hug the young girl. "And you're mine." She whispered.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

Over the days following her birthday, Lily hadn't seen Harry, though that wasn't the complete truth. She had seen him sat alone with a frown on his face more than once. She had wanted to share her birthday with him, but she decided that it might not be the best idea. Hermione however, told her otherwise, during one of their meetings in the library.

"He's upset because he found out that his godfather betrayed his parents." She had explained, a sad smile on her face. "I think he could use some good news."

"Peter Pettigrew is Harry's godfather?" Lily asked, her eyebrows knitted together. She had assumed that Dumbledore would tell Harry. Maybe that was why he was sad, because Lily had found out before him.

"No." Hermione shook her head, looking down at her book. "Sirius Black."

Lily's eyes grew wide and she darted from the library, throwing her belongings back into her bag as she went. She had to find Harry, she had to tell him the truth. The Minister knew, Dumbledore knew, Minerva and Remus knew, but Harry didn't. And he needed to.

When she finally found him, he was stood alone on the bridge to Hagrid's house, looking out over the valley and lake below. It was a beautiful sight, one that might have been helping cheer him up. Lily approached hesitantly, trying her best to stop panting.

"What's got you down Harry?" Lily asked, wanting to make sure that she wasn't encroaching by talking about Sirius Black.

"Just more about my family." He shrugged, not bothering to look at her.

"I know about Sirius." Lily began, noting the angry frown that marred Harry's face at the very mention of his name. "And I know that you don't know everything. I thought Dumbledore would have told you."

"You spoke to Dumbledore about Sirius Black?" Harry asked, shocked, finally turning to see the guilty look on Lily's face.

"I actually didn't speak to Dumbledore about it first." Lily began, not wanting to make Harry angry. "I have a friend, the one who named me, and he told me about Sirius Black, and how he's innocent."

"He betrayed my parents." Harry shook his head, his tone sharp. "He's the reason they're dead."

Lily took a deep breath, knowing that Harry would struggle to hear her next words. "It wasn't Sirius. It was Peter Pettigrew." She noted the question that was about to roll out of Harry's lips and immediately explained. "Sirius Black was James Potter's best friend, and would be the obvious secret keeper. Who better to keep their location a secret than the person the Potters trusted most?" She began, trying to keep her voice steady. "They named Peter the secret keeper, because nobody would expect it to be him."

"How do you know all of this?" Harry demanded, confusion thick in his voice.

"Because my friend, the one who told me, put his memories of the night they named the secret keeper in glass bottles and had me take them to Dumbledore." She explained.

"But the only other people who were there are dead." Harry exclaimed, the wheels turning in his head. "You've been speaking to Sirius Black." He accused, slightly horrified.

"I only knew him as Padfoot." Lily defended, looking down at her hands. "Dumbledore believes he's innocent. I do too."

"I don't." Harry spoke sharply, turning away from Lily and heading toward Hagrid's hut.

Lily ran her hands over her face, feeling guilty for the way Harry reacted to the news. It was clear that he was angry, and he didn't seem like the type that wanted to be angry at the wrong person, which most likely made the situation worse.


	8. Chapter 8

AN- So it's taken me forever to realise that I uploaded the wrong file for this chapter so here is the new and improved version, aka the actual finished chapter and not just the notes I made when coming up with the chapter layout. So enjoy the actual chapter 8.

Chapter 8

Lily had been arguing with Professor Snape for several days, having become tired of looking in the mirror and seeing a face far younger than it should be. He had warned her against the effects of the aging potion she was proposing he help her make and he didn't quite feel up to potentially murdering his favourite student.

"I have said many times Lily, there is no certainty that your body, nor your magical core, could withstand such a rapid aging, especially one that would be permanent." Snape frowned, a look that Lily did not see often. "And should there be any problem with the potion or any number of mispronounced spells, you could be reverted back to the age you were, which would be even more damaging than doing what you propose."

"Severus." Lily smiled, not realising that her expression was the same one that her belated aunt would use to coax the slytherin into going through with whatever crazy scheme she had cooked up. "I have the capability to brew the potion on my own, and I will if you keep refusing to help me. But if you were to help me brew it, you could make certain that I don't get the recipe wrong, and make it much more likely for me to produce a successful potion."

Snape tried his hardest to continue to glower at the girl stood before him, but the look on her face told him that she already knew she'd won. She would make a fine slytherin. Lily Evans would have made a brilliant slytherin too.

"Very well." Snape sighed, rising from his desk. "It will only take a few hours to brew but the preparation will be rigorous and the recipe complex, it will be much easier to brew it with the help of a competent potioneer."

"Thank you professor." Lily smirked, heading to the potions classroom with a successfully manipulated Professor Snape.

…

With the potion perfectly brewed and consumed, Dumbledore finally agreed that Lily could begin her schooling in the appropriate year for her age. He had allowed her to receive a time turner to begin studying 11 of the 12 OWL subjects available to her, though only because the student previously in its possession agreed to drop two of their subjects as they were described by the individual as 'dull, inaccurate and a complete waste of time'. Lily didn't see any need for her to use the time turner as she would be taking five of her OWLs at the commencement of the new term.

"There is still one matter left to attend to." Dumbledore smiled, producing the sorting hat from the top of a shelf in a dusty back corner of his office. For a magical object so important as the sorting hat, it seemed rather counter productive to leave it gathering dust for most of the year.

"I've been waiting for this one." The hat grinned, surprising many of the heads of house present.

Lily simply shrugged. She had noticed that with the aging potion came a whole host of side effects that she hadn't anticipated, like her sudden indifference for everything she laid her eyes on and a looming sense of exhaustion. She was assured that they would wear off as her magical core accumulated itself to its new body, though the first of her listed side effects would remain the same. 'It's normal for teenagers to be brooding. You'll grow out of it.' Snape had assured her, though he seemed to carry that same air about him, perhaps he hadn't grown out of his teenage angst yet.

Dumbledore approached Lily and placed the hat on her head, standing back to await the hat's decision.

It was an odd feeling, talking to a hat with only your mind. Perhaps it used some form of legilimency to determine the wearer's placement. She didn't recall Harry, Ron or Hermione telling her about the strange feeling in her mind, or about the natural pushing that her mind was producing to remove the odd sensation.

This is why we do not sort five years late. The hat huffed in her mind, alleviating some of the pressure Lily had begun feeling.

Sorry. Lily replied, trying as hard as she could to allow the hat to search her mind.

You have a good mind for Ravenclaw, though it wouldn't do for the house to have someone like you among their ranks. They may be clever but those sorts are usually very stubborn and competitive when it comes to intellect. The hat spoke, continuing its search.

And I don't think you would do well in Hufflepuff either, though you do have a certain aptitude for the house. The hat concluded, causing Lily to frown. She had rather liked the thought of being in hufflepuff, surrounded by compassionate and determined people. Hard work is key, and they are extremely loyal but with the way the school had begun to view the house it wouldn't do to put you there.

Now this is interesting. The hat drawled. An equal amount of bravery and resourcefulness, a mind not unlike your cousin.

My cousin is too stubborn for his own good. Lily pointed out. Is that one of the Gryffindor traits?

Yes and no. The hat hummed absentmindedly. While it is a trait, it is also a flaw, one that you do not seem to possess. While there is a certain amount of conviction there, you are not afraid of adapting to survive. In fact I'd say you're rather an expert. And being muggle born may not help your case in either of the houses, though more notably in slytherin.

Yes, resourceful, ambitious and the bravery in you will only aid you in those fields. The hat had finally decided.

"Slytherin." It announced, earning a Lily a modest applause from the gathered teachers. She noticed that Professors Sprout and Flitwick seemed rather put off by the announcement, though luckily Professor Mcgonagall was not upset at her placing.

Professor Snape did not seem surprised, though he must have had some feeling that she would join Gryffindor given her aunt, her cousin and her guardian. He simply smiled as if it was always meant to be, though given the way she convinced him to brew the potion she supposed it had been inevitable too.

"We'll move you into your new dormitory later this week." Dumbledore smiled, placing the sorting hat back on its shelf.

"I don't suppose that tea on friday nights can continue given that I'm now a proper student." Lily frowned to professor McGonagall, a melancholy look on her face.

"Don't be ridiculous." Mcgonagall rolled her eyes. "You are still my ward and so I can still allow you up to my quarters for tea. You'll just have to make sure that you leave before curfew."

Lily beamed at this, hugging her surrogate mother. "Good, because I really didn't want everything to change again."

...

Harry had seen Lily in Madam Malkin's for her robe fitting, though he didn't realise it was her at first. She looked far older and she was buying Slytherin robes. He stared for several moments before most likely deciding that she was no longer worthy of being thought of.

Lily payed him no mind, ignoring the accusing stare. He would be ready to talk to her in time, especially because she knew far more about his parents' deaths than he realised. She knew that Sirius was innocent, she knew rather a lot about Sirius, though she'd heard most of it from Remus or Minerva.

But there was something she needed to do, something she had been scared of doing for a while. She needed to see her parents, she needed answers to the million and one questions that had built up over the years. Minerva had been supportive of her visiting the Dursleys, mostly so the older woman could see the pair squirm. But she had to know why they didn't want her.

So Lily found herself on the doorstep of number 4 Privet Drive, a gnawing in her stomach telling her to turn back before she had to face them, before she had to look in the eye the people that forced her out of their lives. Minerva gave her a comforting smile and Lily suddenly had the strength to face them. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door, staring at the face of the woman who brought her into the world.

"Mrs Dursley, If I could have a minute." Lily asked, she could tell that the woman in front of her knew her identity. Watching her panic made Lily want to smile only a little bit, she liked that they seemed a little regretful of their decision.

"Of course." She squeaked, leading Lily and Minerva into the living room. They were invited to sit down as Mrs Dursley ran off to find her husband.

When they eventually returned, Mr Dursley seemed rather red in the face, either angry that his wife had let two witches into their home, or rather embarrassed about one of the witches identities.

"If you would say your piece quickly," Vernon spoke, slightly panicked. "I do not want any magic within my home."

"I just have a few questions." Lily smiled, standing from her seat. She could see the blood draining from their faces. "Why did you send your three year old daughter away?" She spoke, deciding to be blunt.

"Well… that was a very long time ago… I don't quite recall… Did we ever have a daughter?" Vernon babbled, clearly not having an answer.

"I didn't think you'd remember me." Lily smiled sadly. "I had hoped for an answer before I left, but I suppose that I'll never get one."

"Yes, perhaps it's best you leave." Vernon spoke, leaving the living room, his face white as a sheet.

Mrs Dursley stood for few minutes before taking a breath. "You were the reincarnation of my sister." She answered, speaking quietly. "It's not a good answer, nor a worthy one, but it is an answer." She turned to leave the room also, stopping in the doorway. "Magic will always be wrong. Nothing will change my mind about that."

Lily watched as her 'mother' left the room, thinking over the woman's words.

"Let's get back to Hogwarts." Minerva encouraged, leading Lily from the house.

Before they could walk down the drive, a rather plump boy appeared in front of them, his eyebrows furrowed. "Who are you?" He asked, in a tone not unlike disgust.

"Your sister." Lily answered walking closer to him. "You wouldn't remember me, and apparently our parents don't either."

The boy simply shrugged and walked around them and entered the house. They continued walking from the house, heading to the nearby apparition point.

Lily took one last look at the house, wondering what her life could have been like had she grown up at number 4 privet drive. She didn't care to wonder for too long. She had a new family in Minerva and the rest of the Hogwarts staff, and she was far more adept at magic than she would have been. She had achieved far more in this life than she would have living with the Dursleys.

She wouldn't trade her life for the one she could have had, not for anything.

...

Moving to the Slytherin common room had been much more of an ordeal than Lily had anticipated. The other Slytherins in her dormitory avoided her like the plague, as if she would dirty them with her 'filthy blood'. It was some of the younger students, who happened to be in their third year, who would talk to her, though it was to get as much information on her cousin as they could.

She didn't mind being left alone, still finding herself slightly uncomfortable around throngs of people. She simply studied and prepared for the 11 OWLS she would be studying for. She had briefly considered doing less as she was offered but decided that she could take the work load, especially as several of the professors had said that she would be able to take them as soon as classes started in January. She only had to study for four of her subjects, Divination, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and History of Magic, though it was mostly because she hadn't studied them with the professors before being sorted.

She was sat in the common room, in a dark corner alone, reading through the last of her Ancient Runes textbooks, hoping to catch up with the last of the work she needed to do before she began classes the next day. She only had three more runes to work through before she noticed a figure walking over to her, a rather tall blonde figure. She assumed that it was Malfoy, once again asking her to divulge everything she knew about 'Saint Potter' to prove her loyalty to Slytherin house.

"Have you ever ridden a broom?" The figure asked in a very feminine and un-Malfoy-like voice. Lily looked up to see Daphne Greengrass, one of the girls that she shared a dormitory with.

"No." Lily spoke, slightly hesitant of the young witch.

"Come on." Daphne announced, dragging Lily from her chair, leaving her books behind.

With a quick summoning charm, Lily's bag was back on her shoulder, though Daphne didn't notice as she was too busy running up the grand staircase and up to a very odd portrait that wouldn't stop talking about the various foods she would like to enjoy as they walked through.

Daphne didn't slow her pace as they reached the large quidditch grounds, instead dragging her into the slytherin changing rooms. The room had several benches at its centre and a large chalk board with small dots moving across it, most likely the players. While Lily had been introduced to the notion of quidditch and had read every book on the sport that the library had stocked, Lily had no idea what the play was supposed to achieve, nor how it actually worked.

"This is a broom." Daphne announced, producing a nimbus 2001, one of the same brooms that Draco's father had bribed the team with.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I know what a broom is." She may have spent most of her life thus far out of touch with the world but it wasn't too hard to recognise a broom.

"Now now my little muggleborn protégé, this isn't simply a broom." Daphne grinned. "It flies."

"I understand the principle behind a flying broomstick yes." Lily answered, wondering what Daphne had planned, and whether it was malicious or not. "My cousin practically worships his, or at least he did." Lily frowned, remembering the look on Harry's face as he told her the tale of his run in with the dementors, and his broom's with the whomping willow.

Daphne simply grinned. "I like you."

Lily didn't reply but simply watched as Daphne produced another broom and threw it to Lily who plucked it out of the air with ease.

"I don't understand the point of a pure blooded heir to go flying with a muggleborn." Lily commented, walking out to the frosty field with Daphne.

"I may be a pureblood but my family has always remained neutral during the wars over blood supremacy." Daphne assured her. "Besides, the only other slytherins that will go flying with me are the team and they're all male."

Lily nodded, smiling a little. "Then I guess I could give flying a chance." She grinned, allowing Daphne to coach her through lifting off of the ground. It wasn't the smoothest of rides but she supposed the only reason it wasn't worse was because of the quality of the broom rather than any skill.

"I'll make a rather fine quidditch player out of you." Daphne smiled, flying slow circles around Lily, who was content simply hovering high over the field, looking down at the world below.

"I don't think so." Lily smiled, drifting slightly to get a better view of the castle. The sun was just starting to dip below the horizon, bathing everything in a beautiful orange light. "I like it just fine looking."

"I'll change your mind." Daphne grinned, performing a rather grand loop in the air.

"I'm not too sure." Lily smiled. "Nothing can beat this."

Daphne slowed down, pulling her broom next to Lily's. "No it can't."

AN- So here's the finished chapter. I should hopefully have the next chapter uploaded later today, or at least within the next few days, so look out for that.

If you have any thoughts on the chapter or the fic I'd love to hear it and don't forget to follow the story if you'd like to read more.

Amyx"


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Lily had been studying intensely for days, though Daphne did usually manage to drag her out on a broom for an hour or two each afternoon. It was almost christmas, and so Daphne would not allow Lily to spend all of her time studying, even if her exams were two weeks away. Christmas was not a celebration Lily was used to, having never actually celebrated it. She didn't quite see the point. It was a celebration that muggles decided would be celebrated in december so that their pagan converts wouldn't feel as out of place. Saturnalia was the original holiday and a celebration of the roman sun god saturn, not just a day that people believed that the 'saviour of the world' was born. There weren't even any lambs by the time you reached december, but she supposed that if people wanted to believe in something then christmas would be a good thing for them to believe. Afterall, there was nothing wrong with believing in peace at least once a year.

She'd told daphne this who simply laughed. "There are lots of people who celebrate yule as christmas, but for a lot of wizarding families it's about the rebirth of the sun and the continuity of life."

"Does every pureblood do that?" Lily asked, finally drawing herself from her book.

"Yes and no. Many still believe but they no longer perform rituals." Daphne frowned. "Years of persecution from muggles has made that especially clear."

Lily looked at Daphne for a moment, taking in the somber look on the girl's face. "But you do." She pointed out, moving to sit next to Daphne, who was on the opposite side of their table in the library.

"I do, my family don't." Daphne explained. "We practise magic all year, and they won't acknowledge any of it."

"I'm sorry." Lily frowned, placing a hand on Daphne's.

"It's fine." Daphne sighed, pulling herself out of her stupor. "They can believe what they want."

Lily didn't say anything else on the matter, going back to her book. After all, she still had transfiguration to finish studying.

…

Christmas had been an odd day for Lily, though she acknowledged that it was nice to spend the day with McGonagall, exchanging small gifts with her guardian. Lily had picked out a small book for Minerva, though she wasn't sure if the older woman would enjoy a book about the theories of modern transfiguration, she was probably mentioned in it somewhere. The older woman had smiled just the same, and accepted the gift with a tight hug.

Lily had received a pendant of black obsidian. Professor Trelawney had tried to convince her that it would clear her mind's eye, but Minerva had simply purchased it so that Lily could wear it and remember that she always had a family with her. Lily had loved it more than she could describe, clutching to her mother figure with a grin and a few tears.

She'd tried to give Harry a gift but the boy simply ignored her, though hermione promised to make sure that he received the gift, no matter his insistence that he didn't need a gift from a 'traitorous slytherin'.

All in all the day had passed well, with Lily spending the afternoon flying with Daphne, despite the snow that fell around them. It was certainly calming to be on a broom, despite the horrid weather they were in, though nothing would be worse than the rain storm Daphne had dragged her into several days earlier. But as night fell and they walked back up to the castle, Lily was ready to be tucked up in bed, reading a copy of tales of beedle the bard that professor Dumbledore had given her. It was of course written in runes. Nothing else would have fit the man more perfectly.

…

Daphne had waited until the girls in her dormitory were asleep at last. Celebrating christmas with them had been a little awkward but she didn't let it dissuade her from performing her ritual tonight. She pulled a small basket out of her trunk and a deep green robe, one she'd been working on herself over the days before. She pulled it on, placing a wreath of holly on her head that had been tucked inside of the fabric. With a final glance around the room, she quietly opened the door and slipped through, moving silently down to the common room. Unlike her previous evenings sneaking out, the common room was not empty, because Lily was stood facing the stairs, her own wreath of holly in her hands.

Daphne simply smiled at the gesture and walked with Lily through the castle, taking care to avoid any teachers that were patrolling the corridors. They made it out and across the bridge without seeing anyone before spotting a girl with light blonde hair, dressed in her own red robe, walking calmly across the grounds and down a path behind hagrid's hut. The pair followed, noting how the girl had begun preparing an altar in the centre of a stone circle.

"May we join you?" Daphne asked politely, placing her own basket next to the one the girl was carrying.

"Of course." The girl smiled, who had begun producing various candles, placing them at four points of a circle she had drawn in the ground.

Daphne began placing several items in the circle, a yule log, a stick of cinnamon and a stick of frankincense. The strange girl did the same, though she placed a small carving there and several candles. She then left the circle nodding to Daphne.

"Guardians of the East, I call upon you to watch over the rites of our Coven. Powers of knowledge and wisdom, guided by Air, we ask that you keep watch over us within this circle. Let all who enter the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust." Daphne spoke, using her wand to light the first candle. She then moved around the edge of the circle until she reached another candle. "Guardians of the East, I call upon you to watch over the rites of our Coven. Powers of knowledge and wisdom, guided by Air, we ask that you keep watch over us within this circle. Let all who enter the circle under your guidance do so in perfect love and perfect trust." And so she continued until all of the candles were lit, turning to face the girl in red. "How do you enter the circle?"

"In perfect love and perfect trust." she replied, stepping into the circle.

Daphne then turned to lily who responded with a shake of her head. She wanted to watch, and she didn't want to encroach upon what was going on between the two girls.

The girls knelt at their altar, taking a few moments to sit in silence.

"Tonight is the night of the Solstice, the longest night of the year.

As the Wheel turns once more, we know that tomorrow, the Sun will begin its journey back to us. With it, new life will begin, a blessing from Earth to her children." Daphne spoke, lighting one of the candles.

"It is the season of the winter goddess. Tonight we celebrate the festival of the winter solstice, the rebirth of the Sun, and the return of light to the Earth. As the Wheel of the Year turns once more, we honor the eternal cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth." The second girl spoke, lighting a candle.

They continued to light the candles gathered there and then lifted their arms into the air.

"Today we honor the god of the forest, the King of nature, who rules the season. We give thanks to the beautiful goddess, whose blessings bring new life to the earth. This gift we offer you tonight, sending our prayers to you upon the air." Daphne spoke before lighting the incense she had placed earlier. The girls continued to sit in silence until they both stood, raising their wands in the air. "Thanks to the gods, for watching over our rite."

They then stepped out of the circle, extinguishing the candles and gathering their things.

"I didn't think anyone else celebrated." The girl smiled as they walked up to the castle.

"Neither did I." Daphne smiled. "I'm Daphne and this is Lily."

"Luna." The girl smiled, it seemed she always had an airy smile on her face.

Lily had been surprised to see anyone else out that night, though she supposed that it wasn't so bad, she'd made another friend, a friend that she wasn't eager to say goodbye to.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Lily had finished her exams and had begun preparing for the start of her classes, though she doubted that she would need the use of her time turner to catch up with her classes. After all, she had a lot of time freed up, it was only her divination and ancient runes classes that overlapped and even then it was only once a week as opposed to the possible seven classes that would have overlapped prior to her completing some of her OWLs early. It seemed strange to her that she had such an affinity for learning magic, especially after her late introduction to the wizarding world. It seemed unnatural, very unnatural. But at the same time it felt like the most normal thing in the world, to hold a wand and speak an incantation, producing the same results even without the extravagant wand waving.

It was a comfort, knowing there would be some form of normalcy in her life, beyond what she had experienced over the handful of months she had spent in an undersized body. She had a friend, a mother figure, and a new goal beyond simply surviving. She had to convince Harry that Sirius was innocent, that she was innocent too. She also had to figure out how divination actually worked since the books she'd read weren't all too specific.

Her excitement however was dampened by the odd dreams she'd been having, of a fire, and men in black walking into it, and a snake growing out of the flame. She didn't understand the dream, nor why she was having it, but it kept her up at night and she was slowly becoming exhausted. Her only saviour was that she could use the time turner to go back and grab a few extra hours of sleep, though she felt it was a rather poor use of the instrument.

Lily reluctantly dragged herself out of bed, silently disheartened by the sound of her dormmates bustling around on the other side of the emerald curtains. With a sigh, she pushed the curtain back and grabbed her wand from underneath her pillow, grasping it loosely as she flicked it absently, neatening her appearance to what she hoped was an acceptable standard. She didn't pay much mind to the others as she grabbed her cleaned uniform and pulled it on, taking care to grab the notebook Dumbledore had given her. It held far too many secrets inside now.

"Lily?" Daphne spoke, tapping her on the shoulder. "You look like you're in another world."

Lily turned, suddenly snapped from her thoughts, or rather lack of thought. "I might as well be." She smiled half heartedly.

"You have your tie inside out." Daphne smiled, taking off Lily's tie and tying it herself. "Are you sure you're okay? I hear you coming in and out of the common room pretty early."

"I guess not sleeping comes with the whole school thing." Lily laughed half heartedly, picking up her bag.

"You're a huge puzzle, you know that right?" Daphne pouted, looking Lily up and down. "You come out of nowhere looking 10 years old and suddenly you're a fifth year? And you just soak up knowledge like a sponge? There's also the matter of your relationship with Potter and especially Professor Snape. I get the feeling that I'll be working you out for a while." She smirked a little and sauntered out of the dormitory.

With a fatigued sigh, Lily followed, desperately trying to remember which of her classes she actually had to attend that day, and when would be the best time for her to sneak into the common room for a nap. A nap was definitely high on her list of priorities.

Unfortunately a nap was not in her future as she had Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and Divination all before lunch, and she couldn't get away in time to have a nap between them. Arithmancy was her first challenge, as she found herself muddling up the numbers and symbols on the page in front of her, which was not the best start to her lessons. Things only got worse in Ancient Runes, where she almost smashed her face into the desk, were it not for Daphne's hand on her shoulder keeping her upright. Mostly. And if she weren't already exhausted from the two classes, she had to endure a hop back in time to make it to Divination, which of course had to be in one of the highest towers in the school.

Feigning a trip to the bathroom, it wasn't hard for her to close her eyes and hold her breath as time spun back around her, though it took far more effort than it should have to open them again. With what little will power she had remaining, Lily dragged herself to the divination tower, rather glad that she had been let out of ancient runes early so her slowness wouldn't make her late. By the time she reached the bottom of the ladder to the Divination classroom, she was spent, barely registering the faces of the few classmates she would be taking the class with.

As she pulled herself up into the classroom, she was hit with a wave of incense that only made her more lethargic than she had been previously, something she hadn't thought possible. The only thing she remembered from the hour in the musky, dark room was even more runes, and the same glimpses of fire she'd been dreaming about. She briefly noticed people vacating the space when she found herself in a field, staring at a blazing fire, screams echoing around her as men without faces fed the flame, birthing the same coiling snake that had been tormenting her. Only this time, she heard someone speaking to her.

"What do you see?" The voice urged, drawing Lily's focus further.

"A fire." She responded, suddenly noticing small details in the flame. "There are faces in it, forming the flames. People are screaming, but they're not scared, they're happy? Some of them are happy, some of them aren't. There are people walking into the fire, but they're not scared, they're calm. They're going in on purpose."

"Do you notice anything else about the fire?" The voice urged. Lily's eyes narrowed on the snake, trying to drink in every detail she could find.

"There's a snake growing from it. A snake of ash and smoke." She felt her eyelids growing heavier the longer she tried to look. "There's something wrong with it, something missing. Something I'm missing."

With a sharp snap, Lily found herself stood in front of Professor Trelawney, the woman holding her upright with a bright intrigue hidden behind her thick glasses.

"Sorry Professor." Lily shook her head slightly, walking over to her bag, her mind on her notebook. "I think I fell asleep in your class."

"Not sleep, my dear." Professor Trelawney smiled. "You saw something, your inner eye showed you a glimpse of the future."

"That can't be right, I've been having that dream every night this week." Lily shook her head, rubbing a her forehead with her free hand. "Always the same dream."

"The sight comes differently to us all." She spoke airily, a content smile on her face. "Some rely on tools to glimpse the future, others are taken elsewhere, with no recollection of their words, and others see riddles, strange paintings that don't seem real, or logical." She shuffled over and took Lily's hand, patting it. "That is the one difficulty with a discipline like divination, it is always as hard to unravel your glimpses as it is to prevent them."

Lily raised an eyebrow at the woman, pulling her hand from her tight grasp. "I don't think I'm a seer. I just need to sleep." She sped from the room with a newfound energy, making her way as fast as she could to the common room. She needed sleep desperately before she attempted to do any form of studying in the library.

"It's just a dream." Lily chanted as she made her way through the castle. "Only a dream." Though she still wrote it down, every detail she could remember, as if it were the most real thing she had ever experienced.


	11. Chapter 11

Sleep was all too deep once Lily returned to her dorm, quickly falling into a deep black state, perfect for her to finally sleep without flashes of the eerie fire. Only without the fire, she wasn't waking up in a cold sweat within a predictable time limit. She simply continued to drift until a hand on her shoulder pulled her from her sleep.

"Professor McGonagall's looking for you." Daphne nudged her, an eyebrow raised. "And apparently you somehow fell asleep in Ancient Runes and Divination, which should be impossible."

"Ask Dumbledore." She sighed, pulling off her jumper as she sat up. "What's this about McGonagall?"

"You missed lunch, and Trelawney was talking to her the entire time." Daphne shrugged, heading back out of the door. "I'll see you at dinner if you're still alive then."

Lily rolled her eyes and grabbed her back, making sure her wand was tucked inside of it, instead of in her robes which she left on her bed. It was a short walk up to McGonagall's office, though it may as well have been a mile long as she went through all of the possible scenarios in her head. All of the different reasons she would be on her own again.

With a sigh and a swift knock, Lily stepped inside McGonagall's office, nibbling on her lip as she tried to remain calm.

"From what I've heard you spent most of this morning half asleep." McGonagall raised an eyebrow, taking a long sip of her tea. "And according to Professor Trelawney, your inner eye was deep in a vision." She placed her tea cup down, leaning forward on her desk. "Sit down."

Lily quickly sat, trying to avoid the intense stare in her surrogate mother's eyes.

"Professor Snape would normally deal with this, given your in his house, however I convinced him that this might be something more than just a student getting caught up in their owls." She took a deep breath and leaned back in her chair. "I don't believe there's any stock in divination, that you can't read the future. But Professor Dumbledore does."

"I fell asleep." Lily shrugged. "That's it. And I won't be sleeping in any of the rest of my classes."

"You were standing up." Professor McGonagall frowned. "You walked around that classroom as if you really were somewhere else. And you answered every question she asked you. That wasn't sleep walking."

"Then what was it?" Lily asked, trying to calm her panic. "Like you said divination doesn't actually work."

"I don't know what it was." McGonagall frowned, standing from her chair. "But Professor Dumbledore wants to find out. And if you don't want to, I can make sure you don't have to."

"I'm fine with it." Lily shrugged. "Maybe they'll figure out a way for me to sleep at night."

McGonagall's eyes softened. "You haven't been sleeping?"

"Not at night." Lily frowned. "I've been using the time turner to sleep between lessons."

"I suppose it's better than nothing." McGonagall rolled her eyes. "Professor Snape will want to speak to you before then, so wait for his message. And wait an owl from Professor Dumbledore."

Lily stood and turned to leave, only to be interrupted by Professor McGonagall.

"Look after yourself in the meantime." She sighed, pulling Lily into a hug. "Just a month ago you were so small. Don't go too fast, even if you think you're capable."

"I'll try." Lily smiled, happily returning the hug.

With one last smile, Lily left McGonagall's office and headed for the library, mildly irritated by a light clicking inside her bag. She'd barely made it to the stairs when she grunted dejectedly and began digging through her bag to find the culprit, only to find the runes she'd been handed during divination. She barely remembered taking them, let alone how they worked, and yet she simply knew by holding them.

She continued her walk to the library, absently tossing the runes into the air and catching them as she walked, noting the burst of tingling in her hand as she caught them. Magic had been a strange constant in her life, far more free than anyone had ever described. She'd achieved the impossible, controlling magic with no teachers, no understanding of how it worked. Perhaps Professor Trelawney was right, after all, she could turn into a wolf at will, why should seeing the future be so impossible. She shook the idea from her mind, ridiculous as it was, and began searching the library shelves for books on Ancient Runes. She'd have to catch up on the missing work somehow.

With several books spread open around her, Lily dipped her quill in her ink and began copying out several of the runes from her class notes, at least the ones she'd remembered to write down, and began shuffling through the pages to translate them. It was difficult to concentrate as students bustled around her, whispering about a host of other subjects, her fingers itching to hold her wand rather than a quill. She narrowed her eyes on the page before her, as if she would somehow read it better than she had before, her nails tapping on the desk. She found herself glancing to her left, where the runes sat tauntingly at the edge of the table. She picked one up, narrowing her eyes at the symbol carved into it. She recognised it immediately. The birds. An unexpected change. She snorted and dropped it to the table. She'd had many unexpected changes in her life, and the little rune seemed almost laughable when she thought about it. It was so small, how could it ever encompass something so big and turbulent.

"You're being ridiculous." She pouted, grabbing the runes and throwing them back into her bag.

"She does seem a bit ridiculous doesn't she Freddie?" Her attention was drawn to a pair of ginger boys, both with arms crossed and mildly amused expressions on their faces.

"I'm not so sure. Maybe it's the Slytherin insanity that's going around?" One of them spoke, apparently ignoring the fact that she was looking at them.

"She's McGonagall's girl though, you'd think she wouldn't catch it." The other spoke, a hand rising to his chin.

"Shall we see if she can catch the two of you with a stinging hex?" Lily asked, twirling her wand between two of her fingers.

"I think she's talking to us Georgie." The pair glanced at each other and back at Lily. "Do we respond?"

"She might be talking to the bookshelves for all we know." The pair continued to stare at Lily, even as her eyebrow rose and her expression became that of a challenge.

With a sigh, she gathered the books she'd taken and with a flick of her wand her bag packed itself and hung itself on her shoulder. She began walking between the shelves, placing the books back in their respective places, while the two gingers followed her, muttering to themselves. She began the trek from the library down to her common room, painfully aware of the pair.

With a quick snap, she caught them off guard, turning to face them as she rounded a corner. "Why are you following me?"

The pair turned to each other, looking slightly guilty. "We're observing a rare species in its native habitat."

"A muggleborn slytherin." The other smiled, as if his explanation excused the stalking they'd been up to for the 20 minutes prior.

"Well, show's over." She frowned. "Unless you want to experience what happens to Gryffindors when they try to get into the Slytherin common room." She tried her best to sneer at them, though she knew she didn't look very threatening.

"I suppose it's the same thing that happens to anyone who tries to go inside." One of them spoke, smiling to the other.

"They go in." The pair grinned and laughed together as they walked away, leaving Lily alone in the corridor.

"This bloody school." She muttered, stalking her way back to her common room. She'd wasted a whole day of studying, and the feeling didn't sit well with her. Neither did the feeling that clung to her gut when she thought about her dream during Divination. It didn't sit well at all.


End file.
